Chamber E-Blast
Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce
May 2011
In This Issue
Chamber Golf Outing
Business After Hours
Garage Sale Days
FREE Small Business Seminar
Flag Burning Ceremony
Downtown Improvement Funds
Join Our Mailing List!
Gold Sponsors
Carroll Township
Community Markets/Toft's
Magruder Hospital
National Bank of Ohio
Village of Oak Harbor

You may click on any of our sponsors to visit their website!
Annual Chamber Golf Outing-May 27, 2011

Don't forget the annual chamber golf outing is next Friday May 27, 2011. This event benefits BCS Scholarships and Chamber sponsored events and will be held at the Oak Harbor Golf Club from 8:00am-2:00pm. We are still accepting team registrations, hole & tee sponsors and door prize donations. Please call the office for more information.

Business After Hours & Ribbon Cutting

Ribbon Cutting

Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union invites you to join them on June 16, 2011 from 5:30-7:30pm for a Business After Hours. Please come out to show your support and to tour their new building. There will also be a formal ribbon cutting ceremony for the new building on Friday June 17, 2011 at 8:30am followed by a public open house from 9am-5pm.  
2nd Annual Village Garage Sale Days

 The 2nd Annual Village Wide Garage Sale Days will be held on Friday June 3rd, and Saturday June 4th. Businesses are encouraged to have sales as well to clean out old inventory or bring stuff from home to sell to increase foot traffic in your store. If you would like to sign up to be on the list of sales, please call the chamber office at 419-898-0479. Lists will be available starting June 1st at the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oak Harbor Public Library.  

Small Business Seminar 

On Thursday June 23, 2011, the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a small business seminar over the lunch hour from 12:00pm-1:00pm. It will be held at the Ottawa County Board of DD and will be presented by Mr. Tom Dixon of Eastman and Smith, LTD. Lunch is included and chamber members are free. We had such a great turnout and response for our first seminar with Mr. Dixon that we have decided to have him back to go over additional issues and give more depth on previous issues. Topics will include: 

·         Dealing with the new Health Care Reform

·         Unusual and troublesome court decisions

·         Outlook for Congressional interference with business

·         Recent changes in laws

·         Examine the new discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims

·         Address growing threats associated with electronic communications & privacy

Please call the chamber office at 419-898-0479 to register. Non-members are $10 each. Deadline for registration is Monday June 20, 2011. This is a great seminar for businesses of any size, Mr. Dixon  

counsels on employment policies, trains supervisors, appears in administrative/court proceedings, defends discrimination and discharge claims, and advises on ADA, FMLA, drug testing, harassment, wage-hour, workers' compensation and a variety of other issues.  He also assists with union organizational campaigns, union avoidance, negotiation/administration of labor contracts, and labor arbitration.  He has represented clients in the region and throughout Ohio for over 25 years. 

 

American Legion To Hold Flag Burning Ceremony
The local American Legion Post 114 will be holding a special flag burning ceremony on Saturday June 11, 2011 at 4:00pm at the Legion Hall located at 221 Park St. Public are invited and welcome to bring any old/unserviceable flags to be properly disposed of. For more information contact the legion at 419-898-5888.

 

Funds Available For Downtown Property Owners 

Two financial institutions that serve the Oak Harbor Village, National Bank of Ohio and Commodore Perry Federal Credit Union have come together to provide funds for the improvement of the downtown.  They believe that they have a civic responsibility to help keep the downtown as a pleasant active business community.  They are providing $50,000 of low interest rate loans that target facade improvement. The purpose shall be to improve the facades of downtown buildings by painting, siding, window replacement, and other improvements.  It is not meant for major infrastructure improvements such as roofs, interior remodeling etc. The interest rates will vary from 1% to 3% depending on the size, term and purpose.  The terms can be for up to 60 months, although 24-48 months is preferred. The funds are not a grant and are expected to be repaid. There is an application process and the fund will be administered by a committee, yet to be determined.  Information on the process will be available at the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce and each participating financial institution. Any improvements would of course be subject to any code or approval process that currently exists.  The Village of Oak Harbor has indicated support and cooperation for this project.  A list of local small businesses that can provide the services will be available. We encourage good building maintenance to provide for a pleasant public impression of the downtown that should foster increased business activities.

 
The chamber is also displaying the Veterans pictures at Flat Iron Park again this year. Posters are $10.00 each and all net proceeds are donated to Honor Flight. Deadline is May 23, 2011, please call the office for more details.Don't forget the Community Clean-up this weekend, May 21, 2011 from 9am-11am. We will meet at Community Markets parking lot. Hope to see you there!

Valerie Winterfield
Executive Director
Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce